Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini Toast

I have to thank my recent Israel trip as an inspiration for this recipe. In Tel Aviv for lunch one day, I was served an appetizer of toast with tahini, cauliflower and roasted red pepper. I thought it was amazing, and such a creative idea. Never once had I seen this combo in any restaurant here in the US. So, 3 months later…I finally created my own version.

The sundried tomato addition was brought on by a jar I had bought for some redo photos of my sundried tomato hummus. Adding them on top of the toast not only gave some additional color, but added a whole new element of flavor to it! The toast I’m using is actually gluten free sesame and sunflower seed buns. The buns are quite thin, so I cut each one open and used the insides as the top for my toast. Having nuts and seeds covering the buns also gave a great addition to the meal, and inspired me to add some pine nuts to the dish as well!

This dish can be served as a lovely appetizer, eaten as an afternoon snack, or a full meal if you want. It’s so simple to make, as you are mostly just waiting for the cauliflower to roast. Once it is done, then you just layer the items on the bread one by one.

So without further ado…let us begin!

You will need:

3 to 4 toasted gluten free buns or 8 pieces of your choice toast

2 cups of organic baby arugula

1 head of cauliflower, approximately 4 to 5 cups worth

1 cup tahini

3 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 400 degress

Cut the cauliflower into small florets, and add to a large bowl. Add in the avocado oil, salt and pepper, and mix around, making sure to fully coat the cauliflower. Make sure the the cauliflower is spread out and not on top of each other for even roasting.

Put on a large tray and roast in the oven, approximately 30 minutes.

Step 2:

As the cauliflower is roasting you can toast the buns on a pan, or if you are using bred slices, toast in a toaster. You can also toast them in the oven along with the cauliflower, just be careful not to burn the bread.

Step 3:

When the cauliflower is done, take out of the oven and let cool for a bit.

To layer the breads, first make sure the toast isn’t hot. Spread on a generous layer of tahini, followed by the baby arugula, then the cauliflower. Layer the sundried tomatoes on top, and garnish with a sprinkle of pine nuts. If you want to add some salt and pepper on the top, feel free.

And that’s it! This dish is soooo easy to make, and it tastes delicious!

Keep in mind that for this recipe, the breads are meant to be eaten right away, and they will not store well in the fridge, due to the various layers of vegetables. The bread will be come soggy as everything mixes together. The best thing to do is to store each item separately, and when you are ready for more, take out the toast and create your own again!

This recipes also makes for a delicious breakfast. You can throw an egg on top if you like for some extra fat and protein, and I’m sure it will taste great!